iMake It Happen
by coiwy1
Summary: Sam Puckett knows what she wants and she knows how to get it. What she doesn't know is how to react when she's not in control. She expected him to fight back, but to make the first strike? Now she was lost. Seddie.
1. iLove Bacon

It was the Girly Cow marathon that kicked it off.

As usual, Sam and Freddie had been at each other's throats, knocking insults back and forth like a tennis ball, and Carly was sick of it, so she'd set a deal - Sam and Freddie could spend the evening at her house for the Girly Cow marathon, but if either one of them started an argument then they'd be out and Carly would confiscate their meatballs or PearPhone, respectively. The two had agreed after many failed attempts at compromise, and they wordlessly agreed that they'd be on their best behaviour. After all, Carly deserved a rest sometimes. Carly had been delighted that she'd finally found a way to get an evening in with her friends without having to break up a fight, and so she'd spent the afternoon preparing a feast of meats and snack foods to see them through the night. By six o'clock she'd laid everything out in the studio upstairs, including the three bean bags they all loved to sit on and three sleeping bags for when they finished. On the dot at six, there was a rap on the door and she opened it to reveal a grinning Freddie. She ushered him inside and closed the door, a serious expression flashing across her face as she turned to him.  
>"Freddie, remember, I want a nice evening," she said quickly. "No arguments, no teasing, no insults..." Freddie waved her worries away with one hand and patted her arm.<br>"I know, Carly," he replied. "We promised that we wouldn't do anything. We're just gonna have a fun evening in together, ok?" Carly smiled with relief, gently pushing Freddie's hand from her arm.  
>"I will say though, if anyone's gonna start a fight..." he muttered, before wincing as Carly slapped his shoulder.<br>"Watch it," she warned him. "No insulting." Freddie rolled his eyes and smiled, looking around the room.  
>"So what's the plan?" he asked. Carly pointed to the stairs.<br>"We're gonna be up in the studio, it's all set up." Freddie nodded.  
>"I'll go dump my stuff," he suggested, taking the steps two at a time. Carly grinned and turned around at the sound of the door swinging open again. Sam entered and slammed the door shut behind her.<br>"Sup Carls," she said with a smile. "Where's the food and where's the d- Freddie?" Carly pumped her fist discretely as she noticed Sam cutting off her own insult.  
>"They're both upstairs," she replied. "Come on, let's get started."<p>

The evening passed slowly but the three teens had a great time, laughing and joking together. Sam and Freddie had managed to stay on good terms, despite a couple of dangerous glances between them. Over the course of the evening the three of them had shifted closer together, and by one o'clock Sam and Freddie were practically sitting on top of each other. Suddenly Sam yawned and her head drooped, coming to a rest on Freddie's shoulder. He tensed instantly and glanced over at Carly, silently asking for help. She shrugged, a slight panic crossing her face. Sam's eyes fluttered between wake and sleep.  
>"Don't go gettin' any ideas, Benson," she muttered. "'m only leanin' on you b'c's I'm... b'c's I'm... can't keep my head up." She snuggled against him and shifted position, moving her head onto his chest. She smiled.<br>"Tha's it," she continued quietly. "'s better than y'r shoulder." Carly smiled, stifling an "Aww!" which she knew would annoy Sam, and paused the DVD as she felt a yawn coming.  
>"It's getting late," she said. "Do you wanna keep going, or..."<br>"Na," Freddie waved a hand dismissively. "We can all use a little rest." Carly nodded and let her eyes shut as she curled up on her bean bag, wrapping her arms around her knees. Freddie watched her as she drifted off to sleep before looking back down at Sam. She opened an eye and looked up at him.  
>"'re you gonna leave me?" she asked. "'m cold." Freddie glanced around the room.<br>"I could go get you a-"  
>"Noooo..." Sam moaned. "Don' go. Y're w'rm. 'nd soft." Freddie raised an eyebrow but Sam's eyes had closed again. One arm went around his waist and she gripped his shirt tightly. Freddie sighed, his breath ruffling her hair, and slipped an arm around her shoulder. She smiled and curled up in his embrace, purring softly. Freddie felt a smile play across his face as he looked down at the sleeping girl.<br>_You know, she's not bad to look at, _he thought to himself. _If you can get past the random acts of violence and the tongue of steel...  
><em>Sam rolled over slightly, her lips parting to let out a breath of warm air.  
><em>I mean sure, she's the bane of your life, but she's definately good-looking. More than good-looking, even.<br>_She wrinkled her nose and Freddie couldn't help smiling.  
><em>It's almost... cute. She's a demon, but she's a cute one.<br>_Freddie breathed in sharply as a dangerous thought crossed his mind. No, no, no, don't even consider it.  
><em>She's right here. She's peaceful, for once in her life. When are you gonna get an oppotunity like this again?<br>_No, no, no, she'll snap your arm off! You'll be crippled for life!  
><em>But it'd be worth it.<br>_Freddie could barely control his right hand as it drifted toward Sam's face. Within seconds his finger was running across her cheek, and he felt her hands grip his back as her body tensed.  
><em>Be careful, Freddie...<br>_Cupping her head lightly, he bent low over her face and felt the rhythmic wash of her breath over his face. He breathed in softly, enjoying the bacon-scent of her breath. Then, ever so slowly, he brushed his lips against hers. Instantly she trembled, a small moan escaping her lips. He froze, holding his breath as best he could, until she settled down again.  
><em>This is suicidal,<em> he thought nervously, but somehow he couldn't stop himself. Again, he brushed his lips against hers and again, she let out a moan, louder this time. Her hand was tracing lazy circles across his back, but he was sure she was still asleep - after all, he was still alive. After a moment to build up his courage, he moved back down. His lips locked around her upper lip and his tongue flicked gently at it. The bacon taste was stronger on her flesh. Amazed at his own daring, he began to suck gently on her lip, eliciting a quieter, more drawn out moan from her mouth. Her bottom lip moved to press against his and he froze again. Was she awake? He waited until her was confident she wasn't before gently prying himself away from her mouth. He pecked her briefly on the lips again before pulling right back, finally letting out a relieved breath. She trembled slightly in his arms and nuzzled against his neck.  
>"No..." she whimpered. "Give it back, T-Bo!" Freddie smiled and let his eyes drift shut as he gently rubbed her back. He rested his head on top of hers with a satisfied sigh.<p>

**_Sam strode into the Groovy Smootie and snapped her fingers impatiently.  
>"Yo, T-Bo! Gimme some bacon!" she shouted. T-Bo glanced at her over the counter, twirling an empty stick between his fingers.<br>"You want it on a stick?" he asked. "I got a lotta sticks to get through by the end of the day." Sam shot him a look and shrugged.  
>"I don't care, just as long as it's here quick," she replied, sinking into a chair. T-Bo flashed his teeth at her and turned around briefly before turning back with a stick covered in bacon. Sam's eyes lit up and she licked her lips in anticipation. T-Bo emerged from behind the counter, waving the stick of bacon tauntingly.<br>"Come on, dude, gimme my food!" she urged him, her hands gripping tightly at the table. T-Bo grinned and shook his head.  
>"You gotta wait if you're gonna enjoy this," he said wisely. Sam narrowed her eyes and tried to grab at the stick being waved under her nose, but her arms wouldn't move. She snapped her teeth at it, managing to catch a sliver of bacon. She swallowed and instantly melted.<br>"Oh my god, that is the best bacon I've ever tasted!" she moaned. "Uh, I need more." T-Bo tilted his head as he watched her, holding the stick perfectly still and just out of her reach.  
>"Come on, T-Bo, I haven't got all day," Sam shouted. The man nodded and again the food came in reach of her mouth. She bit down, catching a little more than before, and sucked it into her mouth, moaning in pleasure again.<br>"This is too good," she moaned. "Don't hold back on me, man." She stretched her fingers but her arms stayed motionless by her side. T-Bo grinned again.  
>"You really want it?" he asked. Sam rolled her eyes.<br>"Duh! Come on, lay it on me!" Without a word he dropped the stick in front of her and she instantly grabbed at it, stuffing as much bacon into her mouth as she could manage. She moaned through her stuffed mouth, savouring the taste of the bacon as the juices seeped onto her tongue.  
>"Oh god, this is incredible!" she moaned, swallowing. She paused and breathed heavily, looking down at the stick. It was still half full of bacon, but somehow she couldn't reach it.<br>"What's going on?" she gasped, beginning to panic. The stick of bacon slipped from her grip and rolled across the floor.  
>"T-Bo, help me out here!" she called, but the room was empty and the lights were going out. Her eyes widened and a warm flush spread across her face.<br>"Where's my bacon?" she demanded. A slice spun out of the darkness and she bit down, trying to bite it before it got away from her. For a moment the taste lingered but then it was gone and everything was still.  
>"Give it back!" she whimpered pathetically at the darkness around her. She felt something press down on her and she surrendered to the darkness.<em>**


	2. iLove Ribs

**_"How do you like them ribs, Sam?" T-Bo asked. Sam looked up from her feast and grinned at T-Bo.  
>"Are you kidding?" she laughed. "They're wonderful!" T-Bo gave her a thumbs up and wandered back behind the counter. Sam remained lying on the floor, clutching a rib between her hands. She bent down and ran her tongue over the meat, moaning in pleasure at the taste.<br>"Hey, Sam," T-Bo called from behind her, but she waved a hand dismissively.  
>"Eating," she growled, nibbling lightly on the rib. She took a deep breath, licked her lips and locked her mouth around the rib, beginning to suck gently on it.<br>"Sam, stop it now!" Sam was breathing heavily now as she worked her way over the delicious mass of meat, savouring the taste of it.  
>"SAM!"<br>_**  
>Sam's eyes snapped open and she was met with the sight of reddened flesh. A small hand was tugging on her arm, and there was heat radiating from something underneath her. She pushed herself up, releasing the rib from her mouth. No... wait, that wasn't food. She jerked back as she realised she was lying on top of a sleeping Freddie, quickly getting off of him before Calry noticed.<br>"Sam, what were you doing?" Sam cursed silently and turned to see Carly squatting next to her, running a hand over Freddie's sore neck. Oh god, she'd been doing all that to _Freddie_? She breathed in slowly.  
>"I..." she faltered, still not sure what had happened.<br>"What happened to T-Bo?" she asked. Carly took her eyes off of Freddie and looked up at Sam, one eyebrow cocked.  
>"T-Bo?" she repeated slowly. "Nothing happened to T-Bo. T-Bo wasn't here." Sam rubbed her face and coughed, relieving the soreness in her throat somewhat.<br>"I was at the Groovy Smoothie," she muttered. "T-Bo gave me barbeque ribs." Carly's other eyebrow shot up and she looked back at Freddie, gently massaging his neck with one hand.  
>"You must've just been getting started, thankfully," she joked weakly. Sam nodded, glancing around for water. Nothing... she stood up.<br>"Where are you going?" Carly asked. "You can't leave Freddie here with bite marks all over his neck! His mom'll think a vampire got him!" Sam chuckled.  
>"I just need to get some water," she replied. "Wash the taste of nub out of my mouth." She walked shakily across the room, her legs still half-asleep, and Carly turned back to Freddie. It had been Sam that had woken her up, the sound of chewing penetrating her dreams as she slept and shaking her awake. She'd opened her eyes to find Freddie sprawled out on his back with Sam draped over him like a blanket, gnawing happily on his collarbone. Part of her wondered how they'd ended up like that, but she was more focused on waking him up first and making sure he was ok.<p>

Sam gargled the water and spat it into the sink, before running another handful and throwing it over her face. She couldn't believe she'd actually been sleeping on him all night - she'd agreed not to fight, but she hadn't planned to get close to him. She tried to run over the events of the night before. She'd arrived, that was all fine, and they'd spent seven hours watching back to back Girly Cow, while making their way through a forest of food. She would have been sitting apart from him then, she needed a radius when she was eating, but after all that... well, that was where it started to get fuzzy. She knew Carly had sent her and Freddie to wash the sauce off their hands after... that was it, after the barbeque bacon.  
><em>Barbeque bacon?<br>_Carly hadn't touched the stuff, but Freddie had been sneaking bites whenever he thought Sam wasn't looking. She'd seen him every time, of course, but just for that one night she'd allowed it.  
><em>There was more bacon after that. I'm sure of it.<br>_They'd washed it off together, if only because there was nothing preventing them from doing so. Freddie had been more touchy-feely than usual, no doubt because he knew she wouldn't retaliate, and he'd rubbed the sauce off her hand. She'd actually let him clean her hand? Ah, but that wasn't it, because her other hand was still sticky with sauce and she'd got him back without him noticing. Right... on his neck. Huh.  
><em>So you weren't just dreaming about barbeque sauce,"<em> she thought happily. She wouldn't have chosen Freddie as the meat, but...  
><em>There was more bacon after that. <em>Sam ran a tongue over her teeth and lips, searching for clues to what she had eaten. The first batch of bacon, sure, that was there, but she couldn't find anything else. But she remembered the taste of bacon much later in the evening. She growled and brushed her hair off her face.

Freddie woke up and immediately cried out, causing Carly to jump back in surprise. He clutched at his neck and his finger explored the newly formed indents and grooves he found there. He looked up at Carly, fear in his eyes.  
>"Carly, was this... did you do this?" he asked slowly. Carly shook her deperately and glanced back to see if Sam had returned.<br>"Sam was having a dream and she got a bit... carried away," she explained. "Does it hurt?" Freddie rolled over and stood up, hiding his smile. His neck throbbed slightly but other than that it was fine.  
>"No, it's cool," he explained. "Just a bit of a shock when I woke up." Carly breathed out in relief and smiled at him.<br>"Fancy breakfast?" she asked. Freddie nodded and followed her out of the studio, absent-mindedly rubbing his neck.

Sam was already sat at the table when Carly and Freddie came down. She raised a hand lazily to them and leant back in her chair.  
>"What food you got?" she asked as soon as Carly was close enough. Carly rolled her eyes.<br>"Didn't you eat enough already?" she teased. Freddie laughed and despite herself, Sam found herself laughing too. Freddie still had his hand over the sore patch. Carly went to see what food was still available, and Sam scooted over next to Freddie. He flinched but she ignored him and pulled his hand away from his neck, studying it with a professional eye.  
>"Lucky Carly woke me up before I really got started on you," she noted, running a gentle finger over the wounds. "The skin's not punctured but it's bruised, so you're gonna want to be careful about that." He smiled, pleased that she was still being nice.<br>"Thanks Sam," he replied, before turning back to see how Carly was getting on. Sam paused, taking a deep breath as his breath played in the air. There was a smell of bacon to it. Sam slunk back away from him, sitting back in the chair opposite.  
><em>That can't be it.<br>But I remember bacon.  
>It's Freddie! How could it be-<br>You were lying on top of him. That had to come from somewhere.  
>But I don't even <em>like_ hi-  
>You did it before.<br>_Sam gulped and ran a nervous hand through her hair, surreptitiously sliding her tongue over her lips. They felt as they usually did, but that didn't mean anything. She wasn't sure what she was looking for - some kind of mark? Something... left behind? That was just ridiculous.  
>"SAM!" Carly shouted. Sam jumped and her chair rocked dangerously.<br>"What?" she snapped back. Carly pointed down at the still full plate of food in front of her. Ah. She'd missed that. She'd been too caught up in her thoughts about Freddie.  
><em>Freddie wouldn't dare.<em>

Freddie glanced up at Sam and couldn't help relishing the confused look on her face. It was a rare occurance, but the way she scrunched up her face just... he loved it. He looked away as she caught his eye, trying to keep his face blank. He didn't want her to get the wrong idea.


	3. iLove Pie

It was the pie that kept it going.

It was midnight, and the gang wer lounging on the couch watching _Celebrities Underwater_.  
>"Who do you think's gonna win it?" Sam wondered lazily. "I think Drake's gonna manage it." Freddie snorted and rolled his eyes.<br>"Josh is clearly holding up better," he scoffed. "Drake's gonna be out any minute." Carly just smiled to herself. Even without her threats, Sam and Freddie had spent the day on good terms again, slipping only once when Sam 'accidentally' kicked him. But it was good to know that they-  
>"WHO WANTS GALINI'S?" Spencer shouted, slamming the door open as he slid into the apartment balancing four pies on one hand. He managed to stop himself without hitting anything, although his sudden halt caused a pie to topple to the floor. Sam flicked out a hand and caught it before it was lost.<br>"And that's mine," she said, immediately setting to work on the pie. Spencer grinned and passed two pies over to Carly and Freddie, who eagerly began eating as well. Spencer chuckled and sat on the free chair to start his pie.  
>"How'd you get them so late?" Carly asked. Spencer grinned.<br>"They got a new girl working there. I was visiting..."  
>"Ugh, too much information," she replied with a shudder. The four of them turned back to their food and sat in silence. Sam finished first and, tossing the dish to the ground, leaned over to take a bite of Freddie's.<br>"Hey!" he gasped, pushing her away. "You've already eaten a whole pie, leave off!" Sam grinned cheekily and flicked her tongue out to snatch a little more of the creamy topping. Freddie smirked.  
>"You know you got some on your nose," he whispered, and Sam's nose crinkled as she tried to see it. Glancing around quickly to check that Carly and Spencer weren't watching, his tongue shot out and licked the food from her nose. Sam froze and her eyes widened in surprise.<br>"Did you just _lick_ me?" she hissed. Freddie shook his head innocently.  
>"Do you think I have a deathwish?" he joked. "You must be caught up in a pie-induced euphoria. Speaking of which..." He grinned and turned back to his pie.<br>"What are you guys whispering about?" Carly asked, leaning forward to look past Freddie. Sam glanced at her and shrugged.  
>"Just... teasing the nub," she muttered. "No big." Carly rolled her eyes and leaned back.<br>"You got some pie on your nose, Sam," she noted. Sam rubbed her nose to wipe off the little that was there.

"_And Josh Peck is back on the surface! Drake Bell has won!_" the television screamed. Sam grinned sleepily and turned to taunt Freddie, but cut herself off when she realised how close his head was. Without realising she must have leant toward him over the course of the show. She instantly moved her head back a little and turned back to the television. Beside her, Carly shifted and mumbled in her sleep. Spencer took this as a cue and stood up.  
>"I'm gonna take her to bed," he announced. "You guys might wanna think about that too, you look tired."<br>"Aww, can I stay here?" Sam asked sweetly. "My house is so far away, and it's so dark outside..." Spencer laughed and nodded.  
>"Sure, the couch is all yours." He scooped up Carly in his arms and she rested her head on his shoulder, her eyes still tightly shut. Spencer carried her slowly upstairs.<br>"Ok," Sam murmured with a yawn. "I'm sleeping here." She stretched her legs out and grabbed at Freddie as he moved to get up.  
>"Not yet, Fredweird," she ordered. "I need something to put my head on." Freddie protested but Sam had already rested her head on his chest. His arm was trapped under her body and she was already drifting off to sleep, despite the lights and the sound of the <em>Celebrities Underwater<em> credits. He sighed and resigned himself to it, relaxing a little. Sam made a small noise of appreciation as he pillow became more comfortable.  
>"I'm heading to bed as well," Spencer said, coming back down the stairs. "Don't stay up too late." With that, he flicked off the main light and vanished into his bedroom, leaving Freddie alone with the sleeping Sam.<p>

_**"Yo, T-Bo!" The man looked up, holding a newly-skewered row of ice cream cones, and waved to her.  
>"What are you after today, Sam?" he asked. Sam considered for a moment before shrugging.<br>"Surprise me," she said, sitting down at her usual table. T-Bo nodded and ducked behind the counter.**_

_You are insane,_ Freddie told himself, but the allure of Sam's happy, upturned face was too much for him. He dipped his head and breathed softly on her neck, causing her to shiver and cuddle closer to him. His lips hovered above hers as he inhaled her sweet scent. A small smile appeared on her face and he paused.  
><em>Is she awake?<em> he wondered. _It would be just like her to trick me like this.  
><strong><br>"So what've ya got me?" Sam asked desperately. T-Bo grinned and handed her a large smoothie. She looked it over disappointedly.  
>"Is this it?"<br>"Oh, 'is this it', give it a try!" T-Bo invited her, the grin still plastered on his face. Sam looked down at it and sniffed hesitantly.  
>"Oooh..." she whispered, shivering slightly. It smelt good. She glanced at the waiting T-Bo.<br>"What's in it?" she asked excitedly. He waved his hands dismissively.  
>"A good artist doesn't reveal his secrets." Sam narrowed her eyes at him.<br>"Since when are you an artist?" she wondered, but quickly went back to her smoothie. This was gonna be good.**_

__Freddie's lips met Sam's and she let out a long, soft moan. This time he didn't pull away but remained with their lips pressed gently together, not quite kissing but simply mixing their breath. It was almost a minute before he pulled back.

_**"It tastes like vanilla," Sam noted. "But there's something else to it, like... coconut?"**_

__Once again Freddie put his lips to hers, and this time he let his tongue play into her mouth. Her tongue stroked his as he explored her mouth, enjoying every moment and knowing that if she woke up, it could easily be his last. He could feel her body twitching at irregular intervals, and it sent shivers down his spine each time she rubbed against him. Then he had pulled out again and she settled, her breathing heavier than before but gradually more regular. He licked his lips as he pulled his head back up, enjoying the taste she had left on his mouth, before leaning back on the couch and shutting his eyes.

**_Sam moaned in pleasure as she swilled the last of the smoothie around her mouth, making sure to savour the taste as long as she could, but before she was satisfied it was gone. She breathed out heavily and looked back at T-Bo.  
>"Man, T-Bo," she moaned. "I know I always say this, but the stuff you make here is <em>fantastic_!"_**


	4. iLove Pork Chops

Freddie groaned, coughed and woke up. He was lying on something hard but not uncomfortable, and his hand rested on something softer. There was also a noticeable weight in his lap.  
>"Morning Freddie," came Spencer's voice. Freddie coughed again and opened his eyes.<br>"Morn' Spence," he yawned, before noticing that he was lying on Sam. His eyes widened and he quickly pulled his hand off of her butt.  
>"<em>What<em>?" he yelped quietly, taking care not to alert her. She was still breathing softly and he was almost certain she was asleep, which was very lucky for him. He pushed himself up gently and was horrified to find Sam's head resting in his lap, her warm breath tickling his stomach.  
>"Little help?" he asked. Spencer glanced at him and shrugged.<br>"With what?"  
>"I think moving Sam before she realises where she's sleeping would be a good idea," he noted. "Especially given, uh, where her face is..." Spencer considered this and nodded slowly.<br>"That would be a very good idea then," he conceded, gently taking Sam's arms. She frowned in her sleep and nuzzled against Freddie.  
>"Come on, Sam," Spencer whispered. "Come to the buffet." Instantly she stopped pulling away and allowed Spencer to lift her upper body, freeing Freddie. He stood up and Spencer lowered her back onto the couch, where she shifted uncomfortably.<br>"I think you got away with it," Spencer commented. "Try not to make this a habit." He gave Freddie an 'ok' sign and sauntered back to his bedroom as Carly came downstairs. She glanced at Freddie and darted back out of view.  
>"What are you doing here so early?" she called. Freddie considered a lie but eventually replied, "I kinda fell asleep on your couch."<br>"Ok!" Carly called back.  
>"Why are you hiding?"<br>"I haven't done my hair yet!" Freddie rolled his eyes and knelt next to the sleeping Sam. He poked her softly in the stomach.  
>"Wake up, Sam," he said quietly. She let out a quiet giggle and wrapped her arms around herself. Freddie's eyebrow went up again at the giggle.<br>"Breakfast!" he said, poking her again. She rolled over with another giggle and almost fell off the couch, until Freddie caught her. Her eyes snapped open and she found herself looking directly into his face.  
>"What are you doing?" she asked, looking around desperately. Freddie grinned cheekily and let her drop onto the floor. She groaned as she sat up.<br>"Clever," she replied with a chuckle. "You do realise I should beat you for that, but since you caught me in the first place... I guess I can hold off until later." Freddie laughed - this was the best he was gonna get.  
>"So where's this breakfast you promised me, Freddork?" she asked expectantly. He considered for a moment.<br>"On the way to school," he suggested. "That way you get food _and_ an education for once." Sam raised an eyebrow and smirked.  
>"You're getting braver," she murmured. "Mama's not sure she likes that." He grinned and stood up.<br>"Well if you want to say no to free food..."

"I can't believe she took my money!" Freddie ranted. Carly rolled her eyes.  
>"It's Sam, what did you expect?" she replied with a smile as they reached the school building.<br>"At least two of us were on time," Freddie sighed. Carly smiled again and pushed him playfully.  
>"Why do you care if Sam comes to school or not?" she laughed. Freddie looked away and didn't reply.<br>"She did say she'd come after she'd eaten," she reassured him as the bell rang. "If she keeps to that, she'll be here by lunch."

By the end of lunch there still no sign of Sam. Freddie leant against his locker as Carly came up to him.  
>"Hey," he said, raising a hand in greeting. "What're you so happy about?" Carly giggled.<br>"Is Nathan looking at me?" she asked. Freddie glanced over her shoulder and nodded. She squealed and her smile widened. Freddie couldn't stop a smile from forming on his face as well.  
>"What's he doing now?" she asked. Freddie chuckled.<br>"Just go and talk to him, Carls," he said. "You've been waiting for him to start it for weeks. He's probably just nervous in case you reject him."  
>"You think?" she asked hopefully. Freddie laughed and put a hand on her arm.<br>"How many people have ever turned you down?" he asked. "Go on, just get over there and ask him out."  
>"I dunno..." she said nervously. Freddie rolled his eyes and looked at her, putting on a high-pitched voice.<br>"Please. For me?" Carly laughed at his impression and set her face.  
>"Ok, ok," she said. "Wish me luck."<br>"Knock him dead," Freddie replied. He grinned to himself as she made her away over to Nathan. It was nice for her to be interested in a boy he didn't hate for once, which wa-

"Benson!" He glanced up as the hiss snapped him out of his thoughts. The door to the janitor's storage cupboard was slightly ajar and a blonde head poked out. He walked over casually.  
>"You took your time," he noted. She ignored him and grabbed him by the front of the shirt before pulling him in with her and slamming the door behind him. He stumbled as she let go of him.<br>"It's a bit cramped in h-"  
>"Have you eaten yet?" she asked. Freddie paused.<br>"Um... yeah, but-" He was cut off as Sam's thin arms snaked around his neck and her lips locked onto his.  
><em><strong>A pork chop, freshly cooked. A dash of apple.<strong>_  
>His eyes widened but he soon settled into it. Sam had her eyes tightly shut and she was moaning softly.<br>**_Potato. Green beans._**  
>After a few seconds she released and pushed him away, causing him to stumble again.<br>"What have you been doing?" she hissed, grabbing his shirt again. Freddie's eyes widened and his mouth hung open silently. She pushed him against the wall.  
>"Answer me, Benson!" she snapped. Freddie's eyes darted wildly.<br>"I... nothing!" he replied. "What was all-" Sam cut him off with a hand over his mouth.  
>"You're a terrible liar," she said angrily. "First the bacon, then the pie, now pork chops. You, Benson, have been kissing me." Freddie's eyebrows shot up and he began to panic.<br>"No, I... what are you... no!" he stammered. Sam stamped on his foot and he cried out in pain. She pulled him down, her face inches from his.  
>"What, did you think I wouldn't notice because I was sleeping?" she asked. Freddie swallowed nervously as her breath washed over him. Her lips were so close to his...<br>"Mama knows, Benson," she hissed. "If I _ever_ find your mouth anywhere near mine again, then I will _rip_ your _balls_ off!" With a grunt she slammed him against the wall again before letting go, sending a shooting pain up his back. He groaned and struggled to stay standing. She glanced back at him with a wicked smile.  
>"Oh, and before I forget," she said sweetly, sending a knee into his stomach. He crumpled and slumped to the floor.<br>"_That _was for dropping me this morning," she said, giving him one final glare before slipping out the door and leaving him groaning in pain as the sound of the bell echoed around him.


	5. iLove Fudge Balls

Sam strolled lazily into Carly's apartment and glanced around.  
>"What goes on, peeps?" she asked. Freddie looked up his seat on the couch but quickly looked away as their eyes met, saying nothing. He threw a fudge ball into the air and caught it in his mouth. Spencer applauded politely with one hand from underneath the propped up coffee table.<br>"Hey, Sam!" Carly said brightly, waving from behind the kitchen island. "You're weirdly on time." Sam looked down at her bare wrist and shrugged.  
>"My watch must be running fast," she joked, snatching a fudge ball from the air as Freddie threw it up. He shot her a look of disdain but held his tongue again.<br>"So shall we get with the rehersing?" Sam suggested, leaning against the back of the couch and keeping an eye on the fudge balls. Carly nodded.  
>"Just give me five minutes," she said, emerging from the kitchen. She tapped Spencer's leg and he pulled himself out, almost casually dislodging a support and causing the table to crash to the floor where he had been moments earlier. He turned back with a look of horror.<br>"It took me _ages_ to set those things up!" he moaned. "I hadn't even got started fixing it!" Sam chuckled and grabbed another fudge ball over Freddie's shoulder.  
>"Spencer, can I talk to you upstairs?" Carly asked quietly. "It's about... a boy." Spencer leapt to his feet instantly, his eyes shining.<br>"Is it Gibby?" he asked excitedly. Carly raised a quizzical eyebrow and shook her head.  
>"No! Why would I want to talk about Gibby?" Spencer's face fell and he shrugged.<br>"...I like Gibby. Gibby's fun," he replied in a small voice. Carly rolled her eyes and led him upstairs.  
>"It's this boy at school, Nathan..."<br>"Is he as fun as Gibby?"  
>"He's not like Gibby!"<br>"Then _dump _him!"

The conversation died down and left Sam and Freddie in an uncomfortable silence. Sam leant over the back of the couch again to snatch another fudge ball and her hair brushed Freddie's face.  
>"You know what," he said weakly. "Why don't you just take the whole bag." Sam smirked and plucked it from his hands.<br>"Thank you so much, Fredweena," she replied, raising her head slowly and allowing her hair to drift across his cheek. He focused desperately on the blank television screen, trying not to notice the soft tickle of the curls on his cheek. He let out a small, relieved breath as the feeling went away, but before he could blink he felt Sam's chin resting on his right shoulder. He breathed in sharply again and made sure not to look at her.  
>"Scared?" she purred in his ear. He didn't reply, but he was sure the frantic pounding of his heart against his rib cage was loud enough for her to hear that he was. A smile flicked across her face.<br>"I may have meant what I said earlier," she continued in a low voice. "But that doesn't mean you have to flinch every time I come near. Just don't make a move on me again, ok?" Freddie's breathing was shallow and his lips were dry.  
>"I can't make any promises," he croaked. Sam raised an eyebrow in surprise and leant her cheek against his.<br>"Impressive," she said. "Completely idiotic and suicidal, but impressive." She slipped her arm across his chest and grabbed his chin, squeezing his cheeks tightly between her finger and thumb.  
>"What made you think it was a good idea in the first place?" she wondered aloud. "What crossed your mind when you looked at me and thought 'I want some of that!', hmm?" Freddie gasped slightly as he nails dug into his skin and he silently willed Carly to come back and help him.<br>"Your... nose," he muttered. Sam's expression shifted from surprise to confusion, but her grip on his face remained as tight as ever.  
>"What?"<br>"When you sleep, you crinkle your nose," he muttered. "It was... cute." The nails dug into his skin a little more as a low growl sounded from Sam's throat.  
>"Mama doesn't do cute," she scoffed. "Mama's smokin'. Wouldn't you say?" Freddie nodded gently, trying not to move his face too much while Sam still had a vice-like grip on him. She pressed her lips against his ear.<br>"I bet you wanna kiss me again," she breathed. "You'd love to wrap your strong arms around my thin, girlish shoulders, hold me tight against your muscular chest, and force your tongue into my innocent mouth. Don't deny it." Freddie breathed heavily as he felt a flush across his body but he set his face and slowly shook his head.  
>"Don't do that, Sam," he hissed. Her grip lessened and she tilted her head in interest.<br>"What did you just say?"  
>"Don't do that," he repeated firmly. "You tell me never to make a move on you again and then you start flirting with me. So I'm telling you to stop, now." Sam frowned and she let go of him.<br>"You really think my nose is cute?" she said uncertainly. Freddie nodded, his eyes still fixed on the television.  
>"Just don't try and play mind games with me, Sam" he told her. "Either we flirt or we don't. Just make up your mind." He gently moved her head from his shoulder and ascended the stairs, leaving Sam standing in surprise behind the couch.<p> 


	6. iLove Chicken

"Hey guys, I think the pizza's here," Freddie told the girls quietly. They smiled into the camera.  
>"Ok internet people, guess what time it is!" said Sam. She glanced at Carly and the two of them grinned at each other.<br>"_Messin'! With! Lewbert_!" Freddie pressed a button on his computer and the television screen swung out to show an overhead view of the Bushwell lobby. He turned the camera back to the two girls.  
>"So earlier this evening," Carly explained. "Spencer made a call and ordered two pizzas from right across town,"<br>"Two giant pizzas!" Sam cut in excitedly.  
>"And we put everything on them - beef, pork, bacon, pepperoni, anchovies..."<br>"Now I wanna have one," Sam moaned. Carly rolled her eyes.  
>"Anyway, Lewbert <em>hates<em> pizzas-"  
>"And everything else!"<br>"Yeah, lets just see what happens."  
>The door to the lobby swung open and two men entered, carrying a couple of large boxes between them. Lewbert was sat back in his chair, his head lolling and his mouth wide open. The men put their boxes down and approached him.<br>"Excuse me?" he said. There was a pause and a raspy snore erupted from Lewbert's mouth.  
>"Hey! Doorman!" Lewbert jerked awake and spun his chair around to face the pizza guy. He twisted his face into a sneer.<br>"WHAAT?" he screamed.  
>"I'm looking for a Mr. Lewbert?" Lewbert raised an eyebrow and leant forward, intrigued.<br>"I'm a Mr. Lewbert," he said with a slimy smile.  
>"We got your pizzas here, Mr. Lewbert. Here's your bill." Lewbert scowled again and snatched the bill.<br>"I didn't order any pizzas!" he snapped. "I HAAATE PIZZA!" The man crossed his arms and stood firm.  
>"Well we ain't leaving without being paid," he insisted. "We put a lot into these. We ain't supposed to use that much pepperoni."<br>"I DON'T WANT YOUR PIZZA!" Lewbert screamed, gagging at the mention of pepperoni. "GET THEM OUT OF MY LOBBY!" The second delivery man approached the table and glanced at his partner.  
>"What's going on?" he asked.<br>"This guy won't pay for his pizzas."  
>"I DIDN'T ORDER ANY PIZZA! AARGH!"<br>"Ok, we're gonna have to stop it there," Carly said as the screen swung back. "But until next time..."  
>"Don't forget to eat snack food every day!" Sam suggested. Carly shook her head.<br>"Or... don't listen to Sam."  
>"And we're clear!" Freddie announced.<p>

"Hey guys," Spencer called from under the coffee table as the group came down the stairs. "Done with the show?"  
>"Yeah," Carly grinned. "You got that thing propped up again?"<br>"Sure have!" Spencer replied, carefully pushing himself out. "There's a bit more work to do after dropping it, but I-" He stopped mid-sentence as the table slid slowly to the side and crashed back to the floor again. His mouth hung open.  
>"At least it hasn't caught on fire yet," Sam noted, making her way to the fridge.<br>"Don't jinx it!" Spencer shouted desperately, pointing an accusing finger at her, and he glared at the table until he was confident it wasn't going to combust.  
>"Well, I've gotta go," Freddie muttered. "My mom insisted I go home straight after iCarly tonight, so I don't end up sleeping on your couch again."<br>"I'm gonna split too," Sam said, emerging from the kitchen. "You're outta food."  
>"And whose fault is that?" Carly asked with a smile.<br>"Well you know I'm gonna eat all your food, you should buy more!" Sam complained. She checked her pockets.  
>"Is it cool if I borrow some money? Cos I'm doing it anyway. Mama's in the mood for some fred chicken." Carly raised an eyebrow and Freddie stopped in the doorway, glancing back to look at her.<br>"What?"  
>"Que pasa?"<br>"I want some fried chicken," Sam said slowly. "You guys know I like fried chicken." Carly and Freddie exchanged a glance and he swung the door shut behind him.  
>"So you're going to go and get..." Carly said, looking back at Sam. The blonde rolled her eyes.<br>"FRIED. CHICKEN. What's wrong with you today?" Sam growled, exasperated. Carly shrugged innocently.  
>"Never mind," she said, pressing the button for the elevator. "I'll see you tomorrow." Sam stepped into the elevator, keeping a worried eye on Carly until the doors shut. Carly immediately ran over to Spencer, her eyes lit up with excitement.<br>"Did you hear that, did you hear that?" she squealed. Spencer looked away from the coffee table.  
>"Hear what?"<br>"Sam likes Freddie!"  
>"Hey, hey, calm down, kiddo," Spencer said, putting a hand on Carly's shoulder to stop her from jumping up and down. "What are you talking about?"<br>"Just now, Sam said she was going to get some fried chicken because we don't have any food in our house but instead of saying fried chicken she said Fred chicken because she was thinking about Freddie and aww it's so sweet!" she said breathlessly. Spencer raised a doubtful eyebrow.  
>"You don't think maybe it was just a mistake?" he asked. "Like a slip of the tongue?" Carly grinned, undetered.<br>"But they've been getting real close lately," she said. "She's always sleeping on him and then he hugs her and it's just... aww!" She sank happily onto the couch, a smile spread across her face. Spencer chuckled and sat down next to her.  
>"Just don't get your hopes up too much," he advised. "Sam and Freddie don't have the most... stable relationship at the best of times." Carly's smile remained fixed and she looked up at Spencer.<br>"That's why I'm gonna help them get together," she decided, getting to her. "I've got Nathan, and now Sam and Freddie are gonna have each other!" Spencer looked at her as she ran upstairs.  
>"Carly, I don't think that's..." he called, but she was already gone. He glanced back at the coffee table, which was now cracked down the middle. His face fell.<br>"It's not a good idea," he muttered to himself.

Freddie peered at his clock through half-closed eyes. 01:21. He groaned and rolled over to face away from the glare of the numbers. He'd been having such a great dream as well, and then suddenly he was awake. He pushed his covers off, trying to get comfortable in the heat of his bedroom.  
>"Freddie!" his mother called through the door. "What are you doing in there?"<br>"I'm sleeping!" he shouted back.  
>"I hope so. You remember what I've said to you about-"<br>"I know, mom!" he shouted. "Leave me alone!" A faint 'hmph' sounded but her footsteps continued past his door and soon there was silence. Finally he dropped off to sleep again.

The already open window gently swung wider and a small figure stole into the room. An aroma of chicken hung around her, and her fingers were still slightly sticky. She glanced at the sleeping boy and her mouth curled into a smile. He snorted in his sleep and rolled onto his back, his arms splayed out beside him.  
><em>You're just here for a nap,<em> she told herself. _You can't let him catch you in here. It's only because his window was open.  
><em>She moved slowly, testing each floorboard before putting her weight on it, and gently slipped onto the bed next to him. Freddie groaned and he rolled slightly toward her. She held still until he settled again.  
><em>This is stupid, Sam,<em> she insisted, but she didn't leave. Instead she lay down next to him and studied his sleeping face.  
><em>You can't do that now, <em>she continued. _Not after what you told him._  
>"Screw you," she murmured to herself, and pulled herself toward Freddie, slipping an arm around his body and resting her hand behind his head. She leant in and planted a soft kiss on his mouth before quickly pulling away and letting go of him. He moaned quietly and grabbed at her arm before settling again. She held her breath and her eyes darted around the room, tugging gently to free herself from his surprisingly strong grip.<br>_It was a stupid idea. You can't get away without him waking up._  
>"Let go, Freddie," she murmured, blowing gently on his ear. He rolled his head and his grip loosened, allowing Sam to pull her arm away. She stood up quickly and took a step away from the bed.<br>_Why did I do that?_ she wondered. _Especially after chewing him out for doing it to me...  
><em>She curled up cat-like on the floor by the bed and looked up. Freddie's hand was hanging over the edge of the matress and she resisted the urge to hold it.  
><em>I can't let him have the control, <em>she decided. _That's all it was. Now we're even.  
><em>She closed her eyes and yawned quietly.  
><em>Just a nap. You can't fall asleep here. Just a... nap...<em>


	7. iLove Hot Dogs

_**Sam chewed on the chicken, pausing as she felt someone slap her.  
>"Quit it!" she snapped, turning around to see Gibby sitting behind her.<br>"What is your problem, Gibson?" He shrugged.  
>"Gibby," he replied with a grin. Sam turned back to her chicken and took another bite, only for Gibby to slap her again.<br>"I'm serious, Gibby, knock it off!" she snapped, turning around again. This time it was Carly sitting there, shaking her head.  
>"What the- Carls? Weren't you just..."<br>"Gibby!" Carly suggested in Gibby's voice. Sam narrowed her eyes and turned back to her chicken, raising it tentatively to her mouth. As she bit down another hand appeared in the corner of her eye and she froze.  
>"Who is it this time?" she snarled, turning around to find Melanie.<br>"Gibby," the girl answered in Gibby's voice. Sam rolled her eyes and put the chicken down.  
>"What is going on here?" she asked desperately, shaking her sister by the shoulders. The girl smiled and took Sam's shoulders, shaking her as well.<br>"Hey, get off!" Sam said, trying to push her away. "Get off of me or I swear I'll-"  
><strong>_  
>"-break your..." Sam trailed off and her vision blurred briefly before clearing to reveal Freddie's face above her. She blinked and he quickly let go of her shoulders, jumping back away from her.<br>"I didn't do anything to you," he blurted. "I was just trying to wake you up before you bit your arm off, I swear I didn't do anything." Sam raised an eyebrow as she noticed the red mark on her arm, along with the imprint of her teeth.  
>"Thanks, I guess," she replied with a smile. He relaxed and sqatted next to her.<br>"I just wanted to make that clear," he said slowly. "I know you're not a morning person. Or an evening person, really. Not so much a person at all, now I think about it." He grinned cheekily and she half-heartedly slapped his arm, but she couldn't help laughing with him. It was a moment before she realised that she was still in his room. Instantly her eyes widened and she glanced at the now shut window.  
>"Ok, hold on, I didn't mean to be here," she said guiltily, her eyes darting. "I was trying to get to Carly's, but I must've got the wrong window or something, and I would <em>never<em> choose to come into-"  
>"Sam!" he said, cutting her off with a finger on her lips. She paused.<br>"It's fine, Sam," he reassured her. "I won't tell anyone you were here, because I know you wouldn't want anyone finding out. You've got ten minutes before my mom gets up, so you can grab something to eat before you leave." She smiled.  
>"Ten minutes?"<br>"My mom has a very strict schedule," he explained with a shrug. "She gets up at the same time every morning, goes to bed at the same time every evening. It's... creepy." He shivered slightly and grinned.  
>"As far as anyone knows, I haven't seen you since iCarly. I'll see you at school." He opened his door and ushered her out. She grinned weakly and left, making a beeline for his kitchen.<br>"Don't make a mess!" he called after her. "She'll notice!"

The next ten minutes passed slowly before Freddie heard his mom's alarm beeping in the next room. He lay down and pretended he was waking up as the door opened and his mom poked her head in.  
>"Morning, Freddiekins," she said softly. "Time to get up..." She paused and sniffed, slipping through the door.<br>"There's something different about your room," she said slowly, looking around. "Have you had someone in here?" Freddie laughed quietly and sat up.  
>"I've been asleep all night, the window's shut and the front door's locked," he said. "Who'd I have in here?" Mrs. Benson narrowed her eyes and sniffed again.<br>"There's a smell of chicken in here!" she announced triumphantly. Freddie rolled his eyes and thought quickly.  
>"Spencer made some for us before iCarly yesterday," he lied. "You're probably just smelling that."<br>"Didn't you clean your teeth thoroughly before bed?" she asked, raising an accusing eyebrow.  
>"Nno..." he said. "I guess I forgot."<br>"Freddie!" Mrs. Benson snapped. "If your teeth aren't clean, you'll grow up mean!" He sighed and nodded.  
>"Yeah, I know," he said. "I'll make sure to remember next time." She narrowed her eyes but nodded eventually.<br>"You'd better."

"So can you fix this thing?" Spencer asked desperately. The man studied the table and shook his head.  
>"Ooh, you see this crack here? That's gonna need to be sealed up. And this leg here, that needs work..."<br>"I know! That's why I brought it in!" Spencer cried. The man whistled through his teeth and shrugged.  
>"Well it won't be cheap, you know," he said eventually. "I'm gonna need to order in a load of new parts, and that could be five, six weeks minimum..." Spencer rolled his eyes and groaned.<br>"I'll pass," he sighed, picking up one end of the table. "Come on, Carrie, we're taking this thing back to the apartment."

"Aww, Nathan!" Carly said softly, nuzzling his neck. She paused as she noticed Sam trudging into the school hallway and smiled.  
>"I gotta go," she said, giving him a peck on the cheek before running over to her friend as she leant on a locker.<br>"Hey Sam!" she said brightly. Sam glanced at her briefly.  
>"Hey Carls," she muttered, before looking away down the hallway. Carly smiled.<br>"Freddie's not here yet," she said, causing Sam to roll her eyes.  
>"Because I really care where the nub is," she replied sarcastically. Carly laughed and pushed her shoulder playfully.<br>"Sure you do," she giggled. "I've seen the way you two are together. You luurve him." Sam snorted and rolled her eyes again.  
>"Carls, I love you but you're an idiot," she replied. "We both know I only put up with him because he's our tech monkey."<br>"A tech monkey you luurve!" Carly persisted. "You've been sleeping with him all week..." She trailed off and put a hand over her mouth.  
>"I mean, not like that," she said quickly. "I didn't mean-" She groaned as Sam smirked at her.<br>"Well if that's all you gotta say, I'm in the mood for lunch," she said. "I'll see you later." She strolled past the embarrassed Carly and back out the main door.  
>"...wait, Sam!" Carly called after her suddenly. "You only just got here! SAM!"<p>

Sam stopped as an arm shot out in front of her and she looked up to see a grinning Freddie.  
>"On a food hunt?" he asked. He held out a bag and Sam eagerly grabbed it and looked inside.<br>"Ooh, hot dogs!" she said, taking one out and swallowing it in two bites. Freddie smiled and gently guided her back into the school building as she got through another two hot dogs.  
>"So you're buying me meals now?" she inquired between bites. Freddie shrugged.<br>"Just my way of saying sorry," he replied quietly. "I'll try to keep my eyes off your cute little nose from now on." He laughed as a small smile appeared on Sam's face and her face turned slightly red.  
>"Oh, shut up, Freddie," she said pleasantly, punching his arm. He just grinned back as Carly approached and looked between them.<br>"Hey guys," she said. "Where'd you get those hot dogs, Sam?"  
>"The nub got them for me," she said, flashing the brunette a warning look. "But it doesn't mean anything!" Carly smiled and winked at her. Freddie glanced at Carly and raised an eyebrow.<br>"What's this about?" he asked. Carly's smile widened.  
>"Sam's in lu-"<br>"DON'T SAY THAT!" Sam snapped, clamping a hand over Carly's mouth to silence her. Freddie raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms, leaning against the wall with a smirk. Sam rolled her eyes and sighed, letting go of Carly.  
>"Carly's got some crazy idea that I... y'know... like you," she muttered. "Which I don't!" Freddie's smirk remained and his eyes stayed fixed on Sam as she glared back at him.<br>"I don't!" she snapped. "Stop looking at me like that!" She turned on her heel and stormed down the hallway, pausing briefly to pick up the dropped bag of hot dogs. Carly glanced at the still smirking Freddie.  
>"She totally likes you," she told him. He nodded.<br>"Yup."


	8. iLove Chowder

"I don't like him, I don't like him," Sam muttered under her breath as she walked through the Bushwell lobby. Lewbert glared at her and jumped to his feet.  
>"HEEEY!" he shouted. "WAIT JUST A-"<br>"Ah, stow it," Sam snapped, turning up the stairs before Lewbert could respond. She ascended quickly, still muttering to herself, and was surprised to reach the eigth floor so quickly. She stopped as the door to the Shay apartment opened and Spencer came out, accompanied by a young woman.  
>"Thanks for your help anyway," he said. "Say hi to Socko from me!" He grinned and waved the girl off before noticing Sam watching him, one eyebrow raised.<br>"And that was..." she began expectantly. Spencer glanced into the apartment nervously before looking back at Sam.  
>"Socko's cousin," he muttered. "She helped me take the coffee table downtown to get it fixed."<br>"And that's all?" Sam asked, an amused smile on her face. Spencer mumbled unintelligibly and slunk back through the door, leaving it open to allow Sam to follow. She immediately flopped down on his couch and glanced at the kitchen.  
>"Anything good to eat?" she asked.<br>"I haven't checked," he replied with a shrug. "Where're Carly and Freddie?" Sam shrugged back at him.  
>"On their way back from school, probably," she guessed. Spencer frowned and sat down on the chair.<br>"What's going on with you, Sam?" he asked. "You haven't been yourself in ages. Is it something to do with Gibby?" She rolled her eyes and snorted dismissively.  
>"No, it's nothing to do with Gibby," she replied. "You're obsessed with him." She moved to get up but Spencer waved her down again.<br>"You know you can talk to me about anything?" he said seriously. "I am an adult, you know. Technically." Sam smiled and glanced down at the cracked coffee table.  
>"You keep telling yourself that," she said. He pouted.<br>"Well that's different!" he replied. "Fixing things is harder than it looks." They both looked up as the door opened and Carly walked in, Freddie just behind her. She raised an eyebrow as she took in the scene.  
>"Do you guys need a moment?" she asked. Sam rolled her eyes and got to her feet.<br>"We're done," she insisted. "I'm gonna go raid your fridge."  
>"Actually..." Carly said slowly. "Could you just come and help me with something first?" She ushered Sam and Freddie toward the elevator and half-pushed them inside.<br>"Carly, what are you-" Freddie began, but the doors shut behind him before he could finish. There was a brief whirring sound.  
>"What was that?" Sam snapped, pushing the 'Open' button. There was no response. Freddie sighed and leant against the wall.<br>"Carly!" he shouted. "Did you cut off the power?"  
>"Yes!" she called back triumphantly. "I'm not letting you out until you admit you love each other!"<br>"Seriously?" Spencer muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "That's not how it works, kiddo." Carly shot him a look and he held up his hands defensively.  
>"Have fun with that, then," he said. "I'm going to a s... I'm going out." Carly turned back to the elevator, where she could hear Sam pounding on the doors.<br>"I'll be back in a half hour!" she called to them happily.  
>"Carly, don't!" Freddie shouted back, but she was already gone. He groaned and slid down the wall.<p>

Sam and Freddie watched each other across the elevator, silence blaring around them. Eventually Sam let out a long breath and tilted her head.  
>"So how long do we have to wait?" she asked. Freddie glanced at his watch.<br>"It's been fifteen minutes so far," he muttered, resting his head on his knees. He looked at the obstinately closed doors, wishing they would open. Sam paced angrily.  
>"This is stupid," she growled. "She's got it into her head that I like you and now she won't rest until we're together!" Freddie glanced up at her.<br>"Do you?" he asked quietly. "Just between you and me, do you?" Sam shrugged and looked away.  
>"I don't know," she replied, softer than before. "I mean, every time you... you kissed me, it was, y'know..." She trailed off, searching for a way to express herself.<br>"Nice?" Freddie suggested. She snapped her fingers and pointed to him, nodding.  
>"Yeah. But not the usual kinda nice kissing. It was more like, I just had a nice meal." She stopped pacing and looked back at him.<br>"Maybe that's all it was!" she said suddenly. "You'd always been eating. You had the bacon, I dreamed about bacon. You had pork, I tasted the pork." She breathed out, relief flooding her face. Freddie raised an eyebrow.  
>"Is that it?" he asked. "You think you just liked the taste of the stuff I'd eaten?" Sam nodded desperately, leaning back against a wall.<br>"It has to be that," she said, speaking quickly. "I love food, you know that, but me and you have never been anything more than... frenemies. No offence, but I can't like kissing that. I just can't." Freddie frowned and looked away, biting his lip.  
>"What if it was someone else?" he asked slowly. She shot him a questioning glance.<br>"Like, if Gibby had been eating bacon. Would you mind him kissing you?" Sam looked at her feet and tapped the floor.  
>"I..." she muttered. "No. Not Gibby." She looked back at him.<br>"Anyone?" he asked. Sam groaned and tilted her head back, knocking it gently on the wall of the elevator.  
>"No," she decided eventually. "But that doesn't mean I like you, Benson." She turned her back on him and leant her forehead on the wall. He rolled his eyes and stood up, taking a tentative step toward her.<br>"Look, Sam..."  
>"No!" she repeated. "You aren't gonna convince me, Freddie."<br>"Look, Sam, just hear me out," he said. She sighed and nodded, still facing away from him. He swallowed before continuing slowly.  
>"Neither of us has eaten in a while," he noted. "So why not just try it, now? We're both here, both awake, both... as we are. That way you can find out what you actually think about me." He paused and touched her gently on the shoulder.<br>"Sam?"

"No!" Sam snapped, turning around. She grabbed Freddie by his shoulders and pushed him firmly against the wall.  
>"Sam, don't do anything rash," he warned her.<br>"Freddie, you said what you wanted to say and I listened to that. Now listen to me." Freddie nodded slightly nervously and stayed silent.  
>"Freddie, you're a nice guy, there's no denying that. I know you just want what's best for us, but me and you getting together would not be that. There's something between us, even Carly can see that, but it's not love. It can't be love. Remember how you felt about Carly? That passed, didn't it? And when was the last time you saw Griffin, or Jonah, or any of the boys me and Carly dated? When was the last time you got together with Shannon, or that Sabrina chick? This is nothing more than a, a crush, or hormones, or whatever." She let go of his shoulders and took a step back.<br>"Whatever you may feel for me now is gonna pass, and I don't wanna pretend it won't. Sure, we might have a few months, a year, but 'us' wouldn't last, and it's easier to stop it now instead of ignoring it and getting hurt later. And kissing just to 'test it out', that's gonna make it harder to stop." She sighed and leant back agains the opposite wall.  
>"I'm sorry, Freddie, but it's better to just leave it here." She shot him one last small smile before sinking down into a sitting position and closing her eyes, leaning her head back to rest on the wall. Freddie just stood watching her, his mouth slightly open and his eyes down.<br>"Sa-" He stopped as she raised a hand to cut him off and shook her head silently. His face fell and he sunk to the floor as well, resting his head on his knees again.

Carly wandered back into the apartment and listened carefully for the sounds of talking - or, if things had gone well, kissing - from the elevator, but there was only silence. She frowned and crept closer to the elevator, straining her ears. She frowned and put her lips to the door.  
>"Guys?" she called after a moment. There was no response and she felt panic spread through her. She quickly ran up the stairs to return the power to the elevator and the doors slid open.<br>"Guys, are you-" she started, poking her head around the door. She sighed as she found Sam and Freddie sitting on opposite sides of the elevator, avoiding each other's gaze.  
>"Sam, are you still-" Sam ignored her and stood up, walking out of elevator without even looking at her friend. She picked up the bowl of chowder that Carly had left out for her and walked back toward the door. Carly put an arm out to stop her but she batted it away.<br>"Leave it," she warned her softly. Carly's face fell as Sam left.  
>"Freddie, what-" she asked, but he followed Sam's example and walked past her silently.<br>"Freddie!" she repeated. He stopped at the door and glanced back at her.  
>"Don't do that again, Carly," he said simply before leaving as well. Carly could only watch as the door swung shut behind him with a quiet <em>click<em>.


	9. iLove Fat Cakes

"Freddie!" Carly shouted as she noticed him slinking through the hallway. He glanced round and his face twitched as she ran over to him.  
>"Yeah?" he muttered irritably. Carly frowned and put a hand on his arm.<br>"Freddie, you've been avoiding me all week," she said quietly. "I've hardly seen you, or Sam. What's going on?" Freddie shrugged and pulled away from her.  
>"Nothing, now," he replied. "I haven't said a word to Sam since your little... plan." He leant back against his locker and crossed his arms. Carly looked at her feet.<br>"I know," she said. "It was a stupid idea, I shouldn't have tried to force you guys together. But you see where I'm coming from! You both clearly like each other!" Freddie snorted and kicked back at the locker.  
>"Carly, all you've succeeded in doing is destroying an already tenuous friendship. She refuses to even look at me now."<br>"I was trying to help!" Freddie rolled his eyes and shot her an cold look.  
>"No-one asked you to help," he growled. "You can't force two people to get together, no matter if they like each other or not. Even you should have realised that."<br>"I just..." Carly faltered. "I just wanted you guys to be happy." She smiled weakly, but her smile quickly faded in the face of Freddie's glare.  
>"Well you've done a great job," he told her sarcastically. "I'm <em>so<em> happy now you've sorted everything out for us." Carly opened her mouth but she had nothing to say.  
>"Great," Freddie said scathingly. "Thanks for that, Carly." He turned his back on her and walked away, kicking the ground angrily as he went. Carly sighed and brushed a hand through her hair.<br>"I was just trying to help," she repeated meekly.

Sam doodled on her otherwise blank paper, droning out the sound of Mr Howard's lecture.  
><em>It's better this way,<em> she insisted. _Just leave the whole Freddie thing well alone. There's no point trying to find a jewel in a haystack.  
><em>She frowned and jotted it down on the paper. She wasn't sure if it was a real saying but she liked it.  
><em>He's just getting desperate, because Carly still doesn't love him. It's not like he knows any other girls, so he's just testing to see if I'm gonna respond better than she does. Not that he seems to care about her as much recently. Actually he doesn't seem to notice her any more. Even when she was wearing that tight little T-shirt last month, and he just kept looking back at me in my-<br>_Her pen snapped and small pieces of plastic rained down on the floor.  
>"Puckett! Pay attention!" snapped Mr Howard. She rolled her eyes and ignored him.<br>_It's not like he's even that good looking. I mean he's better than he used to be, but that's hardly an achievement. He isn't exactly hard on the eye though... not at all. And those eyes, they're just so-  
><em>"Am I boring you, Miss Puckett?" asked Mr Howard, slamming a book onto her desk. She jerked her head and looked up at him.  
>"Kinda," she replied boldly. He sneered.<br>"As much as I hate having you here, I'm afraid you'll have to sit through this lesson the same as everyone else. Try to refrain from drooling." Sam's eyes widened and she wiped her mouth as he turned and strode back to the front of the classroom. She must've had ham in the back of her mind, because otherwise it was just when she thought about...  
><em>Freddie... He is pretty good looking, now I think about it. And like it or not, it was really nice having him there to rest on. My head on his chest, his arm around me, his warm breath playing across my cheek...<br>_"Puckett!" Sam's head snapped up again.  
>"I'm listening!" she shouted. Mr Howard glared at her as she glanced down at her paper.<br>_Oh god...  
><em>  
>"I can't get him out of my head!" Sam moaned. Spencer nodded slowly and glanced at the clock.<br>"Shouldn't you be in school?" he asked. She rolled her eyes.  
>"I left early, that's not the point," she replied. "The point is that Freddie is in my head and I can't stop thinking about him!" She slapped her head angrily and Spencer pulled her arm away.<br>"Don't... don't do that," he advised. "Look, Sam, maybe you should try talking to him. I know Carly's idea was flawed but that doesn't mean she was wrong about you guys."  
>"No, no!" Sam groaned. "I can't do that to him. He deserves better than that. He deserves someone... nice." Spencer sighed.<br>"Sam, you can't give up on this without even trying. I understand where you're coming from but from what I've seen, you've all just been miserable all week. Freddie spends all his time at home, Carly just keeps showering, and you... I don't think you're feeling yourself." Sam raised an eyebrow.  
>"What do you mean?"<br>"For one thing you haven't been near the fridge since you got here," he said with a smile. "Look, I know you're scared. You can act all you want but you're scared. And that's fine. You and Freddie have had this... relationship for so long that it's hard for you to break it. But just ignoring your feelings isn't going to help anything." He stopped and sat back, allowing his words to sink in. Sam nodded slowly.  
>"I..." she muttered. "I guess." Spencer smiled and stood up.<br>"You should get some sleep," he told her. "You look tired." Sam nodded again and stood up as well, making her way to the door.  
>"Oh, and Sam?" Spencer called. She turned back to him.<br>"Hmm?" He picked up a packet of Fat Cakes sat on the kitchen island and threw it to her.  
>"Eat."<p> 


	10. iLove Freddie

**_"Well look who's back," said T-Bo with a smirk as Sam walked back into the Groovy Smoothie. She nodded and shuffled her feet.  
>"I thought it was better to stay away," she admitted. "And that... that was wrong. I belong here. I thought if I stayed away I could get over it, but I just keep wanting it more and more!" T-Bo raised an eyebrow and shook his head.<br>"I dunno if that's gonna do it, Sam," he replied. She nodded sadly and looked away.  
>"I know," she said. "I shouldn't have tried to ignore it. I just... if I ever lost this place, then it would just be too much. I don't know if I could deal with that. So I was trying to make it easier to let go. I thought if I pushed away, then I could deal with the pain of losing it, but..." She trailed off and looked back at T-Bo. He smiled and stepped aside to reveal Freddie leaning against the counter.<br>"Absence makes the heart grow fonder, Puckett," he told her with a smile. Her face lit up.  
>"You would say that, nub," she laughed. He stood up straight and walked toward her.<br>"Is that a problem?"  
>"Of course not," she replied. "Your sophistication is part of your charm."<br>"I have charm now?" he asked in mock surprise as he reached her, slipping his arms around her waist. "That's a first."  
>"Oh, you're definately charming." Her arms snaked around his neck and she leaned into him.<br>"Hungry?" he whispered. She smiled.  
>"Of course." He pulled her toward him and in a moment their lips connected. She shut her eyes and their tongues met, dancing between their mouths. She could feel the heat of his body radiating off of him and warming her through, his arms now around her upper body and squeezing her tightly. She pulled back slightly as she felt herself becoming light-headed.<br>"Freddie, you're-" she gasped, finding herself short of breath. He ignored her and she felt him push her back against the wall.  
>"You're hurting me," she moaned desperately.<br>"You have no idea," he hissed._**

Sam choked and rolled over blindly, clutching at her chest.  
>"Sam, are you ok?" She peered through the darkness at the shadowy figure leaning over her.<br>"Freddie?" she muttered. He nodded.  
>"Yeah, I was kinda... passing," he replied. "Are you ok?"<br>"I think so," she replied. She reached over and flicked on her lamp. She glanced at the boy sitting on the edge of her bed.  
>"So what are you doing here?" she asked. He shrugged.<br>"I couldn't sleep," he said. "And I thought if I could just see that you were ok, it might help, or..." He trailed off and looked away.  
>"And your mom let you out?" Sam wondered, raising an eyebrow. He chuckled.<br>"Not exactly," he replied. "You're not the only one that sneaks out at night, you know." Sam smiled.  
>"You're learning well," she laughed. He smiled back at her before a silence bubbled between them. They both glanced away awkwardly.<br>"Look, Sam, this isn't working," he said slowly. She nodded.  
>"I know, but I just-"<br>"Sam." Freddie leaned closer and Sam swallowed nervously.  
>"Freddie, I-"<br>"Don't talk." She shut her mouth and held her breath as Freddie drifted closer. Before she knew it his mouth was on hers and she let him push her back onto the bed, straddling her. She shut her eyes and their tongues met, dancing between their mouths. She could feel the heat of his body radiating off of him and warming her through. He pulled back slightly and looked down at her.  
>"So tell me, Puckett," he said slowly, slightly short of breath. "Was that just the food?" She relished the tickle of his breath on her face as she struggled to talk.<br>"It was never just the food," she panted eventually. Her eyes darted to her bedside table and he glanced over as well. A sheet of paper was propped up against the lamp.  
>"Is that..." he asked. She nodded.<br>"It's the best I could do," she replied. He smiled. It was roughly drawn, but recognisable as a picture of him and Sam, her head resting on his shoulder and both of them asleep.  
>"A jewel in a haystack?" he laughed. She hit him lightly on the arm.<br>"What's wrong with that?" she said, pouting. He laughed again and planted a quick kiss on her nose.  
>"I like it," he replied softly. He rolled off of her and lay down next to her, his eyes still on her.<br>"So what now?" she asked, rolling over to face him. "Are we like... what are we?" He shrugged.  
>"What do you feel we are?" he asked. She shrugged back at him and shuffled closer to him. He slipped his arm over her and held her to him.<br>"I- are we a couple?" she wondered. "I dunno if that would be right." He raised an eyebrow.  
>"I mean, we've been friends for so long, and that works..." she explained lamely. Freddie leant forward and touched his forehead to hers.<br>"We both know we're not just friends," he told her. "I love you, Sam." She let out a small giggle.  
>"I know," she replied, kissing him again. His eyes lit up and he rolled the two of them over, putting her on top as he returned her kiss.<p>

"CARLY!" Spencer shouted up the stairs. "CARLY!"  
>"I'M IN THE SHOWER!" she shouted back at him. He rolled his eyes.<br>"SAM'S ON THE PHONE! WITH FREDDIE!" There was a pause and the sound of running water was cut off.  
>"WHAT?"<br>"SAM AND FREDDIE ARE ON THE PHONE!" A moment passed before Carly appeared in a towel, almost slipping on the stairs as she leapt down them to grab the phone from Spencer's hand.  
>"Yes?" she said into the phone. There was a pause.<br>"FINALLY!" she screamed, causing Spencer to jump back, his hands over his ears, and fall perfectly through the newly repaired coffee table. Carly glanced at him and rolled her eyes as he looked in horror at the broken table around him.  
>"I <em>just<em> got this thing fixed!" he wailed.  
>"Spencer, shh!" Carly hissed. He ran a hand through his hair and slowly stood up, before trudging up the stairs.<br>"I'll be in the shower," he muttered.


End file.
